Actual rating 4.25.

I've been a fan of Runyan's writing for many years now, and was very intrigued to hear that she was branching out from her usual historical fiction books to write a contemporary fiction story. The small village in France she created was like a lovely dream, definitely a place I'd like to visit, and the people seemed real. I had some issues with some of the interactions that didn't seem to be realistic, or in some instances weren't fully expressed, such as the resentfulness/anger of Tiberi towards Tempesta. That just never came through and was confusing when it was referred to later on. The magical realism was a fun touch, but I would've liked to see it delved into a bit deeper. The main issue for me was that this story stayed closer to the surface than I'd've liked, and I didn't get a great connection with the characters. I loved that Runyan included recipes for several of the items mentioned during the story, that's always a nice touch. Overall, it was a fun read and enjoyable to spend time in the village.

My thanks to Harper Muse, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

3.5⭐️s rounded up. Beautiful descriptions of the food and herbs, and lots of fun in the recipes.

I liked Tempesta as a character and the difficulty she worked thru in belonging somewhere but having to fight to be accepted. I thought it was a relatable and well thought out plot line to invest in a city, but fight for your friends and decide whether to do the same for those who continually discount or reject you, or to let them go.

I do wish there was more description in the emotions of the characters. There were times in the dialogue, there would all the sudden be a basic descriptor on what the character felt and it sort of took me by surprise, as there was nothing else leading up to that emotion. Or it was just a quick mention and not deep where it would have given much more life. The descriptiveness in the recipes, smells, and plants were so well thought out and painted, it just seemed an odd contrast not to do the same for the people.

Also the magic part of this was a little odd. I didn’t hate it but it didn’t feel necessary to the story and made it a little fairy tale-ish.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

I've read a few of this author's books and enjoyed them so much. This one was excellent. A page turner for sure. It kept me turning the pages while also listening to the audio from my public library.

This is a stunning book. A story about family and how people in families sometimes treat each other. Or make a difference in children/grandchildren. This one starts out with Tempesta in her father's bedroom after his death. Her brother Wal is also there. They are the only children and stand to inherit the wealth their father left. Their Grandmother Luddington is also there. She's a real piece of work. I didn't like her at all....

When Wal basically inherits everything he and Tempesta are somewhat shocked. But Tempesta was left her mother's money. It was nothing in comparison but it was quite a bit and both Temp and Wal were happy about that. Grandmother Luddington was her usual selfish person and said some very mean things to Temp. Not to anyone's surprise either.

Tempesta took the money and went to France. She wanted to see where their mother was from and maybe get to know more about her. She had died when Temp was only thirteen and Temp had vivid memories of her and the stories she always told her about her home in France. Temp buys a place without seeing it and is sorely surprised at what she finds. She thinks it's never going to be fixable. But she learns better. She meets Tiberi and he fixes her house and greenhouse and her. Temp learns so much about herbs and plants and becomes a big hit in the town. after which she is finally accepted as one of them.

There is a lot going on in this book and it's all tied up so neatly and perfectly. From being a New York journalist who writes about restaurant, restaurant critic, to a village called Sainte-Colombe in France. Tempesta finds the belonging she longed for since the loss of her mother. She and her brother become close and her life is full.

I can picture the house in the country with the meadow surrounding it. The greenhouse. The main house. The roof even. The town with it's not at all modern shops. The people. Hills of lush greenery. It all looks so beautiful in my mind. That is how well this book is written.

Do not miss the author's notes at the end. And there are delicious sounding recipes after that. I may have to give at least one a try.

Thank you #NetGalley, #AimieKRunyan, #HarperMuse, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars...

Wow Loved it What a way to debut in a new genre of writing. Being one of my favourite historical authors, I thought I would try Aimie’s new book The Memories of Lavender and Sage. It was unputdownable, beautifully written, and a great story. I fell in love with the characters of this small French town, it left me wanting to be part of this small town. The description of oils, rubs etc was enough to get your taste buds and nose humming with excitement. Love, loss, heritage, tradition, family, finding confidence and growth all played a huge part in this highly recommended read. I look forward to reading more of not just Aimie’s historical fiction but also the contemporary novels in the future. 5 stars

I would like to thank Harper Muse, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheMemoryofLavenderandSage #NetGalley

Tempe has never lived up to her family expectations. Her mother died when she was young and the family has never been the same. When her dad dies and leaves her out of the will, she knows it is time to move on and get away. She takes what her French mother left her and buys a house in France. She is going to learn about her heritage and hopefully find peace.

There are so many things I love about this novel. It is very close to a 5 star read for me. I love Tempe. I love how she comes into her own and discovers who she wants to be and not what her family wants her to be. I love the old house she bought and the village in France. AND OH! The family secrets…one my favorite things in a novel! This story slows down a bit in the middle and is a bit repetitive in places. However, I fell for Tempe at the very first and she did not let me go!

I have read quite a few books by this author. And all have been wonderful. But, I do have a favorite. It is The School for German Brides. You cannot go wrong with a single one of her books.

I loved the narrator, Caroline Hewitt. She is perfect for Tempe. I truly listened to this in one day!

Need a story which will take you away…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

"In the space of a gap of a hummingbirds wing"...

If an author can transport me straight to the French Provençal Countryside, complete with all the sights, sounds, scents, and yes, savory tastes, without ever having to leave my couch or favorite reading nook... especially when it is narrated so beautifully, it is worthy of 5 stars for me. Aimie Runyan created such well-developed characters and immersed them in a most-vivid, atmospheric setting, I felt like I was touching the herbs with Tempesta. And Caroline Hewitt brough Tempesta and the rest of the characters to life, enriching the dialogue, and seamlessly navigating between dialect and languages,

The reason for the quote? It is one of many beautiful quotes that resonated with me as I listened to this wonderful contemporary fictional novel of a woman searching her roots in Provençal France. Now that I have my hands on a physical copy, I will be making those lemon verbena cookies and mint margaritas this weekend!! Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers for granting me the audiobook opportunity in exchange for my review.

The Memory of Lavender and Sage will draw you in and make you want to go the the French countryside! The story of a young woman finding where she fits in the world is heartwarming and rich with descriptive atmosphere. The characters are realistic, illustrating the lifstyle of the era and the place.
This is a novel to lift your spirit!

Pack your backs, because you will feel like you are in France! I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but this is to die for!!“The Memory of Lavender and Sage” tells the story of Tempesta, who is trying to reconnect with her mother’s past. Her mom died when she was thirteen so she decided to move to her mother’s hometown in France. The author did an amazing job of making me feel as if I were there. I appreciate all of the cooking tips. This was a new author to me, but I will definitely be checking out her other books. Many thanks to the author, Harper amuse and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The Memory of Lavender and Sage is a story of self-discovery and found family with a side of baking and magical realism.

Tempèsta has lost both her parents and she uses a small inheritance from her mother to buy a run-down manor house in a small village where her mother had grown up. She is surprised by the cold welcome she receives from some villagers, but she is stubborn and resolves to stick with her plan and learn more about her mother in the process. Tempèsta discovers a great deal her own unique gifts and learns about her mother.

I always appreciate a theme of self-discovery and finding your true self. Tempèsta learns that she is more like her mother than she could have imagined.

One setting I especially enjoy is a small, rural village with quirky, colorful characters who provide opportunities for friendship and community. I love the sense of belonging and found family.

I impulsively seized the opportunity to read another book by Runyan after having loved A Bakery in Paris. I accepted the arc based on the author and didn’t look too closely at the synopsis. I was a little surprised that The Memory of Lavender and Sage is contemporary fiction with a generous side of magical realism. If you enjoy magical realism, you will find a lot to love here. Realism is my preference.

I recommend The Memory of Lavender and Sage for fans who appreciate a strong sense of place, a quaint village setting, themes of self-discovery and family themes, and magical realism. Recipes included!

Thanks #NetGalley @HarperMuseBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #TheMemoryOfLavenderAndSage upon my request. All opinions are my own.

An absolutely stunning book. I loved Tempy and her search for a life to call her own. So many wonderful elements. Vivid descriptions that carry you to Provence with characters fully developed and touching scenes. It will stay in my mind and heart and instantly became a favorite. A vacation in a book with a touch of magic!

I really enjoyed the beautiful writing and storyline of The Memory of Lavender and Sage by Aimie K. Runyan. Tempèsta was such a compelling, strong character! She cared so much about life and her own happiness, about connecting with her mother’s heritage, and resting. It was so easy to love her and cheer for her, especially as she rooted herself in her mother’s village, the lovely Sainte-Colombe. The descriptions of France, of food, and scenery were just amazing. I really enjoyed this book, though I was taken aback by the inclusion of magical realism/fantasy. Despite that, I was glad I stuck with the book and got to know Tempèsta as she got to know the wonderful people and France itself. I was especially glad to see that Tempèsta didn’t swoop in to change things in the village but rather worked with what was already going well to make it even better. A lovely book!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

I have been a fan of Runyan’s for a while. Not only for her books but her baking tips. Her books are always so delicious, and will awaken your senses.

Tempesta Luddngton is a food critic whose mother died when she was a teen. When her father passes away her brother gets the majority of the money, while she gets her mothers belongings and a small sum.

She is happy to reconnect with her mother and her past. Tempesta uses what money she receives to buy a home in Saint-Colombe, where her mother grew up. She finds the home is disrepair and second guesses her choice, but will find out the value of community and hopefully find out more about her mother.

A beautiful story, where all your senses will be filled to the brim. I am not a green thumb, but Runyan’s novel makes me want to be have one.

Thank you Suzy Approved book Tours and Aimie K. Runyan for this novel which is out March 5.

Provence on a plate! Aimie Runyan delivers a delectable novel filled with flavorful characters searching for family and identity. Readers travel to Sainte-Colombe in the rolling hills of Provence to villages lined with terra-cotta tiled roofs and brightly painted shutters; housing families that have lived here for generations. The villagers have locked away grief, rejected family expectations, and the need for change.
Main character, Tempesta’s only connection to her late mother is a quilt and the memory of her scent, lavender and sage. Runyan’s descriptions of the landscapes are filled with the same vibrant colors that make up the quilt. Sainte-Colombe, declining in population, is a village with a café, a kitchen shop, and an outdoor market on Fridays. The history of the old language, Occitan, the suspicions and beliefs of villagers, and the challenges of accepting the past are revealed through colorful, endearing villagers who are helping Tempesta adjust from the hurried life of a NYC restaurant critic to a life where the “soil vibrates with potential.” Readers will relax as seeds of hope are sown in the characters. Tempy’s greenhouse filled with herbs is the perfect place for reflection as Runyan uses analogies of growing and plants to enrich the story.
The Memory of Lavender and Sage is a novel of contemporary fiction filled with optimism and finding joy in making things new again. Experience village life in Provence and the sheer beauty in rolling hills of lavender. But best of all become aware of the delicious aroma of herbs mingled with revelations that come from discovering one’s true gift.

I loved this novel! I am a Francophile as well as a gardener, so I was instantly drawn in by the blurb, gorgeous cover, and the setting. The story is so well-written and descriptive. I truly felt like I was transported to a small village in France, surrounded by fragrant lavender fields.

The characters are truly endearing, the family saga had me immediately hooked, and the romance swept me off my feet. The story was incredibly heartwarming and had just the right amount of magical realism. I cannot recommend this charming story enough! If you enjoyed "Under the Tuscan Sun," you would love this novel. I will definitely be stocking this one at my bookshop and recommending it to my customers. Well done, Aimie! I look forward to reading many more of your books.

P.S. If you are ever in the Asheville, NC or Greenville, SC area, my bookshop opens this April in Landrum, SC. We are right off of Exit 1 and halfway between both cities. I'd be happy to have you in for a book signing.

"No good can come of wishing we could change the past. All we can do is work to make the best future we can by respecting the present."
I loved this book! It was a book that I did not want to put down. Tempesta Luddington is a food critic in New York. Her mother died when she was 13, and has felt like an outsider in her own family for a long time. Her father has recently died and Tempesta receives an inheritance from her mother. Not a lot, but who for her to make a change to her life. She goes to the village in France where her mother grew up. She buys a house and discovers her mother's past.
A story of heritage,friendship, community, and discovery of ones self while finding a purpose to her life.
I loved that Tempesta was such an amazing cook, and all those wonderful teas, creams and recipes she created with the herbs from her garden.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read this book.

Aimie K. Runyan's stunning novel, THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE, will awaken your senses as the author transports you to a small magical village in Provence as the past meets the present with vibrant characters that linger long after the book ends.

New York food critic and restaurant reviewer Tempèsta Luddington has never felt like she belonged since she lost her mother at thirteen. They were close, and when she died, she was left feeling empty and alone with her workaholic father, younger brother, Wal, and her overbearing grandmother (dad's mother), who had never supported her.

Her dad had removed every trace of her mother and locked it all away in the basement, which was a tragedy for Tempèsta. Within two weeks of her mother's funeral, her Grandmother Luddington came to live with them. There was no love for her or nurturing and a disconnect.

Presently, her dad has passed, and the family money goes to her brother. Tempèsta is left with some money from her mother that she had put away for her. She does not want to be involved in the family business like her brother and has decided she wants to travel to the place her dear mother was passionate about and loved.

She is grieving and uses her money to buy a run-down manor house in Sainte-Colombe (a fictional town), a small village in Provence where her mother grew up. She is nervous about moving to a remote country from New York, not knowing anyone.

Upon arrival, she is not greeted warmly by the mayor and some others but bonds with his granddaughter, who works in the family business in one of the shops in the village. They become best friends, and she meets others in the community and village she connects with.

Slowly, she finds her groove and meets a carpenter who helps her with home repairs and renovation. She nurtures a love of cooking and gardening —and even develops her greenhouse, where she grows herbs in infusions, gifts for shops, soaps, creams, sauces, menus, baking, and more.

She slowly learns from one of her mother's friends about her mom's life, love, and secrets—why she left Provence, moved to the States, married her father, while continuing to love this slice of heaven.

Tempèsta finds her way, comes up with creative ways to save the dying village, her passion, and loves her new life, new love, her friends, her home, and her new community. She knows she will not return to the States and has found her home.

Lavender and sage (devotion and wisdom) are integral parts of the story and title, and their fragrances evoke the memory of her mother. Her mom always smelled of lavender and sage, no matter what perfume she wore or the soap she used.

Beautifully written, THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE is a lovely story in a lush setting —a young woman's journey to find her place, family, history, legacy, and where she truly belongs. Character-driven, enchanting, magical, and uplifting. From self-discovery, hope, new beginnings, rejuvenation, and community to a touch of romance. An example of where "family' does not always mean blood-related.

THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE is a love letter to Provence and an ode to small dying towns, artisans, and shopkeepers, who need life, love, and support. As a bonus, delectable recipes are included.

Atmospheric and rich in place and charm. For fans of Kristy Woodson Harvey, Mary Ellen Taylor, Sarah Jio, and Gillian Harvey.

I do not read many women's fiction novels or contemporary; however, I could not pass up the chance to travel to Provence! My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more—Love the cover and the book trailer. As some other reviewers mentioned, would love a sequel with Wal. Congrats to the author for her first full-length work of contemporary fiction!

Thanks to HarperMuse and NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: March 5, 2024
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This is sort of a cross between Under the Tuscan Sun and Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. Unfortunately, that description makes it sound better than it is.

You have seen this plenty of times by now. A young woman, dissatisfied with her lot in life, goes for a change of scene, finds herself, becomes a beloved member of her new community, gets fulfilled, and falls in love with the right guy.

There's nothing necessarily wrong with this formula. Sometimes we all need to read a book for the mental and emotional tourism of being in a beautiful location and eating spectacular food and having all our wishes come true. For me right now, that book also needs to be well written so that I don't get impatient with the tropey plot.

This book was not well enough written for that. It's competent, no doubt, but didn't have that extra something that kept me going back for more. Maybe it was that Tempesta is quite the name and our heroine didn't live up to it. Maybe it's that although Tempesta is only 28, she already feels like a fuddy-duddy who doesn't like those soulless big cities, thinks that small towns are innately better even though all the young people are leaving them because there are no jobs there, and who reads more like a 40 year old woman than a 20 something one. It felt like the author was leaning too hard on the "small and traditional is better" trope.

Again, if all you want is a good escape read and you don't find what I've said above annoying, this could be a great read for you! It just didn't draw me in.

Reading this book is the emotional equivalent of sitting on your porch, warm breeze tickling and watching a lovely sunset.

After the death of her beloved French mother at age 13, Tempesta became increasingly isolated from her locked-in father, openly hostile grandmother and her brother. Always striving to fit in and gain approval, she got her degrees in finance, but added one in journalism too. After hating her financial jobs, she ended up as a food critic for a NYC publication. But the emptiness remained. When she received a small inheritance from her mother after her father's death, she buys the only house in her price range in her mother's home town in Provence. Her journey of self discovery and finding a family along with a few secrets is affecting, haunting and touched with a whisper of magical realism.

With The memory of lavender
A life time story unfolds before your eyes. These pages are magical. A story that will have anyone wishing things could have been different.
But sometimes it not meant to be.

A perfectly written story. This is my first book by this author and I truly enjoyed the story.
I was immersed in the story.

Tempesta , Find herself going back to her mother's Birthplace . And it secrets. Soon come to light. But what a Thrilling story.

With this story you find a little practical magic. Love and so much more.. A wonderful read.

This is such a beautiful story. It is about a food critic Tempesta from New York who lost her mother at a young age and lived with her father, brother and grandmother. She could never understand why her grandmother always made her feel unloved and unwanted. She figured it was because her grandmother never really cared for her mom and just took it out on her. After her father passed away she was left only what her mother had left her, everything else went to her brother. She decided to take that money and go to a small Provence in France where her mother was from. She bought a fixer up house, sight unseen, a car and moved on to a new life. She found out about her mother from the people in her new village that new her growing up. She made friends. She found that she had a way with growing herbs and making pesto, creams and salves. She found herself. This is so well written and I really enjoyed it. The author made you feel like you were in France. There is a lot more to this story but I do not want to give anything away. It is well worth putting it on you TBR list when it comes out March 5th.
Thanks to #netgalley, HarperMuse and @aimiekrunyan for an ARC of this great read.